Someone’s Gotta Say It. . .It’s Henrik Lundqvist’s Fault.

This is a painful catharsis. I’m not happy about doing it, but it’s the truth. It’s the King’s fault the Blueshirts aren’t up 3-1 instead of the win-or-go-home situation they’ll be facing for the next 3 games (at best). Yes, Marc Staal’s clearing attempt in Game 1 was a bad idea, and no one was stopping Semin’s top-shelf laser. Of course Gaborik should’ve just let Lundqvist cover that puck last night instead of deciding to make his first ever attempt at back-checking. But why were either of those games in OT in the first place?

Game 1 – Gotta make an all-out effort to cover that puck instead of just standing your ground thinking you have the post covered and letting Ovechkin tee off on you repeatedly. Girardi could’ve tried not getting bulldozed and maybe Fedotenko could’ve chosen another defensive strategy besides “Just Stand There And Watch”, but, as the last line of defense, #30 can’t just sit and wait for a whistle. Get that mitt down.

Game 4 – This one’s a bit tougher, but besides the fact that a weak shot from that angle should’ve never gotten behind him in the first place he’s still gotta control & cover the biscuit. Lundy’s glove was all over it – can’t just sling it down his pad there and have no idea where it is.

Lundqvist is the man – the King – make no mistake about it. In no way whatsoever am I bashing him or saying there’s a netminder out there who could’ve done any better. He’s played out of his mind and is the only reason the Rangers have had the slightest chance of sniffing victory…but the fact of the matter is, he needed to play mistake-free and he hasn’t. I guess that’s just the burden of having to carry your entire team.

50 shots in 4 1/2 periods isn’t exactly an extraordinary amount, and the Rangers have had the best shot-blocking team all year. Again, not saying he sucks at all. He’s awesome enough to give a fighting chance, but if there was any hope of an upset he had to be perfect.

Again, point being the only chance they had is if he didn’t have these mental breakdowns. I’m agreeing that there’s no one else I’d rather have in net and no one could’ve done a better job…maybe they’d have made these stops but let in others.

If you’re saying it’s impossible for him to have played mistake-free, then it was impossible for them to have won the series. I’m saying these 2 pucks that squeaked past him are the only mistakes he’s made in an otherwise awesome first 4 games. It’s crushing that these two were so close to not being mistakes at all.